Chapter 4

150 years have passed, when Cress is told she is the first successful candidate to come out of the Vat.

Cress

A brightness loomed beyond my eyelids. I felt as though I was waking from a long nap. I opened my eyes to see that I was in a hospital room, and as I lifted my hand to wipe away the sleep from my eyes, I felt resistance. Shackles on both of my wrists held my arms at my sides. I shook them trying to get free. A woman walked in and saw that I was awake and quickly walked back into the hall.

            “Hey!” I shouted, my heart pounding, “what is going on?” I said in almost a whisper. I didn’t feel like myself. I left as though my heart was going to pump out of my chest, my ears were ultra-sensitive, and my eyes stung under the florescent bulbs. I felt a multitude of emotions running through me at a thousand miles an hour. Another woman walked into the room, she was wearing a white coat and had a friendly demeanor.

            “Ms. Hayes,” she began, “I am Dr. Johansen.” She walked up to the foot of my bed and placed her hands on the end posts. “I am sure you have a lot of qu-” 

            “Where am I? Why do I feel like this?” I said cutting her off, “What is wrong with me?” she nodded her head, trying to seem empathetic.

            “I understand you are in a bit of a shock,” She walked up slightly but kept her distance, “I would like to tell you firstly, that you are a bit of a miracle around here.” She smiled, but I was unfazed, “You are the first successful candidate to come out of Project R.” She stepped a bit closer.

            “What does that mean?” I questioned.

            “It means, that you are the first in a new line of sustainability,” she paused, “you alone hold the future of the human race at your figure tips.” I shook my head.

            “I don’t understand,” I said. She took one more stride to my side, and placed a hand on my leg.

            “This may be a little hard for you to hear, but Cress, are the first human to achieve perpetual life. The genetic code embedded in your system will help so many more attain the same. People will be able to heal themselves at a rapid rate. Cancer will cease to exist, no more illnesses, no more death. Your hereditary make up is quite astonishing to say the least. We can use what we learn from you to create so many more just like you, insuring the survival of the human race.” My face sunk at the words. My checks flushed red, my fists clenched. Dr. Johansen took a step back. I had no words, I just sat there in shock and discomfort. “We have many tests we need to conduct to make sure of the logistics, but you need to know, you are incredibly special to us here at Anifa.” She said then she turned and walked out the door leaving me alone to swallow the reality of what she had told me. Heal at rapid rates, I thought to myself, No more death? I questioned, looking down to my hands. Scars that used to cover my knuckles and parts of my palm from working on the wires on my work detail were now gone. My palms now delicate and smooth, as though my life before the Vat was nonexistence. The faces of my friends, Talia and Jon, came into my mind, and I weld up at the thought, they think I am dead, when it is quite the opposite.

A younger nurse came into the room, shutting the door behind her and carting in a tray of syringes and empty veils. She nodded at me but kept her head down for the most part, when she reached my side, she looked up to me and asked,

“I have to draw some blood if that is alright.” I nodded in response. She pulled out a rubber tie and strapped it securely around my right arm. She pulled out a marker and began marking my name and the date on the veils. My eyes focused on the date she had written down, and I quickly grabbed her hand and pulled it closer, she shrieked. I looked her in the eyes, she looked back at me terrified.

            “Is that the date?” I yelled, “Today’s date?” I shouted even louder; the girl tried to pull away but I wasn’t letting go. “Tell me! What is today’s date!?” I tightened my grip.

            “It’s March 20^th,” she cried.

            “What year?” I shook her hand that still grasped the veil.

            “It’s 2205.” My grip tightened even more on her hand and the veil broke sending shards into both of our palms, the nurse now screaming for help. Several male nurses and other doctors burst into the room. I released my hold on her as one of the other nurses shoved my shoulders into the bed I was laying on. Blood dripped from my hand. The doctor who ran in quickly examined my hand, as all the other medical professionals in the room peered over. The doctor pulled out some of the glass shards from my hand and watched intently as my skin began to mend itself leaving behind only the now slowly drying blood. Everyone looked in amazement.

            “Get Dr. Johansen, now!” The doctor shouted to one of the nurses who quickly ran out of the room. The young nurse who’s hand I had just crushed was holding her bloody palm to her chest, “Anna, go get that fixed up.” The Doctor said to her out of the corner of his eye, she got up and left the room just as Dr. Johansen was walking in. She came to my side and took my hand, examining it thoroughly.

            “You may release her.” She said to the male nurse who still held my shoulders firmly. “Get someone to clean this up.” She gestured to the bloody and glass filled floor. The rest of the nurses left the room, leaving me alone with Dr. Johansen. “What happened?” she asked me sympathetically.

            “How long was I in the Vat?” I asked bluntly, my eyes meeting hers. She sighed and looked down to my hand again. I yanked it away.

            “I was going to tell you, but I wanted to give you time to adjust.” She said with a sigh.

            “How long?” I hissed, and her face stiffened.

 “A hundred and fifty years.” I froze, my hands shaking with rage and fear. She continued to talk but I couldn’t hear her, my mind running a thousand miles a minute. I clenched my fists and pulled with all my might at the shackles on my wrists, they gave way. Dr. Johansen backed away in fear as I jumped from the bed. My legs gave out underneath me, and I caught myself slightly on the bed. My eyes locked on the doctor. “Look Cress, we are here to help you,” she said her hands out in front of her. I lunged at her pushing her into the wall near the door.

“Help me!?” I cried, “You did this to me!” I pounded my fists into the wall behind her, cracking it slightly. Several security guards and nurses ran into the room, and pulled me from the wall as I struggled. I yanked my arm away from one guard and was slammed up onto the opposite wall by another. Suddenly one of the nurses plunged a syringe into my neck, my vision began to blur and the world went dark.

Reviews

[Ballpark Frank]

I like it! I'm not sure how the mercenary from the previous chapter will fit in the story now....or Jon her friend...but I like where this is going. Well done. I'm enjoying it

[Amy Skye]

Thank you! All i have to say is keep an eye on the dates i have included in previous chapters, it may help with a timeline for you. :) I am so glad you are enjoying it!